COBU: The Hyrule's Heroes
by Li Cruz
Summary: Tome 1 of the Chronicles of the Black Unicorn. Link is forced to relive his lifetime a third time. Can he and his allies save Hyrule and the surround regions from the Bearer of the TriForce of Wisdom.
1. Prologue

The Chronicles of the Black Unicorn

Tome 1: The Hyrule's Heroes

**Chapter Prologue: The Last Words**

_

* * *

Now if you asked me if I knew that I would have to return to the day Saria found me, I would have asked if a Goron landed on you. Sigh. No such luck for me it seems._

_It was a glorious day when I returned from my quest for Navi. Din, I had never been so bloody glad to see Death Mountain. Navi was as usually chattering up a storm. Espona, by now used to Navi's incessant talking, snorted and neighed every so often. Honestly, the old girl was probably commenting on one of the many subjects Navi rattled on about._

_I was content to just allow Espona pick her path home. I hadn't expected the royal guards to be waiting for me at the gate between Death Mountain and the Kakariko village. I placed a hand on my bow out of habit. The guards eyed me with a bit of apprehension. I suppose part of it has to do with the reputation I've gathered... again._

_After the head guard explained that Zelda wanted to see me, I reluctantly agreed. I wasn't exactly a fool and I had no desire to have a bounty on my head. I should have seen it coming._

_I cautiously walked into the throne room. Zelda greeted me politely, but I didn't quite like the look she gave when she thought I wasn't looking. It was mildly lustful, to say the least. I could feel her eyes run up and down as now I know if one would do inspecting a choice piece of meat. We chatted for a while._

_I noticed an engagement ring on her finger and gave a soft sigh of relief. I thought at the time, I didn't have to worry about any of the women I had known coming after me. Most by now are either engaged or married. Also I never really cared about the notion of marrying and such. I think it has something to do with being dead from waist down. I do 'love' one particular person but I digress._

_Anyway, I met Zel's fiancé and Din, I have never been so fearful in my life. I thought Ganondorf was evil. He may have been mine and Zelda's age but he was definitely what anyone normal would consider a man. He was well-built and muscled. He was handsome man who knew it. He was definitely a fighter, his step slick and confidant. His eyes glinted with intelligence. Even his clothes screamed refinement. I felt extremely lacking._

_But it was the darkness in his eyes that made me want to cower. I could almost smell the blood that he had spill whether in or out of the training arena._

_Well, I eventually excused Navi and myself. Not aware of the ambush waiting for me..._

_Well, we are now up to where I am currently. I have spent months in this dark prison with only my gear minus my weapons and the occasional beating. So under the light of a lantern I've written what I have seen and done. Hopefully this will survive the passage of time and time travel. One realizes a lot when you have been left alone to think over your life._

_Sometimes I wished this whole fiasco never happened. That I was still in Kokiri Village, being the fearie-less wonder. Yet Fate has a different idea._

_Today I'm to finally face my sentence, least it be death or otherwise. I have no fear. To any who find this journal, may Din, Naryu, and Farore guide you. For the path you have chosen will not be easy._

_Rinku Kokiri_

* * *

Link closed the book reverently with a sigh. He wrapped it reverently. He muttered on of the spells he learned over his travels. The book glowed before the light faded. Link smiled sadly. The book was now keyed to be read by anyone worthy or needing his biography, even though he didn't see if they ever need it.

The guards opened the iron doors, blinding the Hero of Time. He stood, his gaunt body stiff. Impa stood horrified at the sight of Link. Link smiled warmly at the Sage.

She felt severe pity for the poor boy. She couldn't remember where she first met the boy or who he was. His eyes large in the thin frame, almost like a dog-like expression. Indeed, he was a mangy mutt in Zelda's eyes. Impa watched as he shuffled forward uncertainly under her unwavering stare. The poor Hyrulain mutt, beaten and emaciated, looked eagerly toward her. Impa pulled in a ragged breath. The guards roughly grabbed the thin limbs, pulling him forth.

Just before the Great Hall, they dropped Link on the ground. Impa signaled them to close the door behind them.

"Why don't you fight or attempt escape?" Impa demanded.

Link closed his eyes and pushed himself up, his body rocking slightly. "No escape from her."

"What?"

The large pale blue eyes held her captive. "I'm the bearer of the Triforce of Courage. There is NO escape."

The rocking increased as he shuddered. Impa was trying to process what he said as she opened the door. Link ignored her as he hobbled to stand before the throne.

Zelda giggled. "Well, Link. How have you been?"

No answer but his shuddering body rocked a bit faster. Zelda smirked. She pulled out the Orcina of Time. Impa watched as the boy's form stiffened. Zelda and her fiancé entwined their fingers. Link was repeating "No" over and over again. Zelda muttered some spell and her and her fiancé glowed briefly before she spoke again.

"Here is my judgement. In light of all the acts of treason against the throne and against the Goddesses, your punishment is to become a child again and suffer for your treachery. Let it be known across the land, that Link of the Kokiri is forever marked as common thief."

Zelda placed the instrument to her lips as Link bolted towards her. Too late as the world dissolved around him. Forcing him to watch everything he had done be undone as he was flung back through time. In his ears, her melodious voice becoming a painful reminder. As his body de-aged, he shoved back his memories, locking them away against the magic threatening to destroy him. Soon, the smell of blood and darkness and the sounds of pain surrounded him. His dying mother's last lullaby.


	2. Chap 1: Halfbreed

The Chronicles of the Black Unicorn

Tome 1: The Hyrule's Heroes

**Chapter One: The Half-breed**

* * *

Link found himself in his 'Hole-home', wondering why he gotten in trouble for wandering in the Lost Woods. Actually he was trying to become one of them Skull Kids or get eaten by a Wolfo. He shivered as he pulled his ragged tunic closer. Tonight was cold.

Peering over the edge of the ground, he stared longingly at the tree houses light up with light. He remembered a time when Saria was his caregiver yet that was many summers ago. She had been kind to him, but now every time she looked at him, a cold distant look appeared.

His stomach rumbled with hunger. He slunk towards the forest entrance. He had seen some small edible mushrooms there. Hopefully the gatherers had missed them. They did! Link's dull blue eyes danced with joy. He plucked three of them and quietly slunk back to his hole at the base of the farthest tree.

The raw mushrooms were delicious. Link barely kept from moaning in joy. Even though the mushrooms would barely fill a Kokiri's stomach, it filled his nicely. With a satisfied smile, he curled up into a ball and feel asleep, dreaming of better days.

Mido's ugly scent alerted Link to his presence long before Mido's deku stick did. Why his sense of smell and hearing was so acute, he'd never know. Link rolled farther into the hole, landing on his hands and knees. He growled almost feral at being woken up. He never quite understood why he had such odd reaction nor the fact he had a horrible time talking, but he chalked it up from being always beaten whenever he tried speaking.

"Oh, so the fearie-less mutt is up." Mido's face was seen from the hole's entrance. "It's time for you to get out."

Link's growl died in his throat. Leave the forest? He didn't know anything about life outside the forest. Mido's sneer increased.

"I can see you hear me. You have until the sun is highest in the sky to leave, freak."

Link knew the unspoken threat. Or they would summon the guards from the castle and have them take him. Link scrambled out of the hole, dodging Mido's swing and disappearing into the grass. Mido called names after him but didn't follow.

Link spent most of the first hour exploring the village for food. He found a hole near the practice arena where the other Kokiri males played. On the other side of the whole was a maze with rolling rocks. Despite his lack of voice, Link was keenly intelligent and loved a good challenge. He avoided being trampled by the rocks as he explored the maze. He found a chest. No doubt the same one Mido said he found that wooden sword in. Link rubbed a spot on his arm where Mido had slammed the sword on. Link, on a whim, opened it not expecting to find anything in it.

There was a bag, worn but whole in the bottom of the chest with a leather canteen attached. Link's eyes glimmered with hope. This meant he could keep more food, those oddball seeds and those odd crystals he'd find. Looping the bag diagonally across his chest, he began looking for things. By time a couple hours past, Link found enough of the things he wanted to take with him. He could imagine having food to eat almost everyday if he was careful enough.

He found himself at the edge of the village again, filling the canteen when he heard some small voice yell out at him. Looking up, he found one of those fairies tangled in the small creeper vines. He simply untangled the small being, being the kindhearted kid he was. The small being puffed a few minutes.

"Thank you, Link." The fairy said.

Link tilted his head in confusion. He though his name was Mutt. The fairy went on about how long she had searched for him and how worried she was when she figured out that time had been undone again. Then she realized something.

"Oh, Din. You must have forgotten." The fairy's eyes watered. "I'm sorry, Link! So sorry."

Link patted the small fairy uncertainly. Okay, he established that he was Link. So did this make the fairy sobbing his? The fairy looked up sharply.

"Sorry, Link." She wiped her eyes. "I should be glad you're still alive. I'm Navi."

Link blinked, something stirred at the sound of her name. He nodded and smiled shyly. He was unsure if this was the correct thing to do, but he remembered the other children doing the same thing when they were playing or talking about good things. Navi patted his cheek, listening to his thoughts.

"It's okay, Link. You'll learn." She said, perching on his thin shoulder. "I'm here now and I am never leaving you alone again for any longer than a day. Or I ain't Navi."

Link giggled at Navi's remark. He was feeling better. More complete with the fairy perched on his shoulder.

"Hey, mutt." Mido said, sauntering out. "It's almost noon…"

Mido stopped to stare at the little fairy perched on Link's shoulder. The fairy glared evilly at the Kokiro. She said something softly to Link who nodded as he stood up. Mido noticed the bag which he had left alone in the chest in the maze but he wasn't able to comment as Link walked away towards the exit to Hyrule's field.

Everyone stopped whatever they had been doing to watch as Link and his fairy walked towards the exit. Many stopped thinking at the fact of Link having a fairy. Saria watched coolly on as Link paused momentarily near her, glancing at her before continuing. For some reason, she felt her heart breaking as she watched him leave and never looking back.

* * *

Link found food easily on the plains as he and Navi wander to and fro. He avoided the farmers whenever he could. Sometimes he'd steal food from them, normally wind-fallen apples or whatever fell out of baskets and carts. No one played much attention to the ragged boy and his fairy. And frankly both Navi and Link preferred it that way. The only way they'd get attention was if they got caught in the act.

However about four months after leaving the forest, Link feeling particularly brave wandered near a nomadic cart people, eyeing food and clothes with equal interest. Navi, not at all mortify at this criminal behavior, was eyeing things from the sky. Navi signaled a cart in the back of the gathering. Link stealthy crept towards it. The smell of bread filled his sensitive nose. He licked his lips, keeping a low profile under the carts. He managed to snag one of the rolls when he heard someone shouting.

"Hey, thief. Stop!"

By Din, no. He watched the entire group of people turn to look at him. He immediately scrambled under the carts and out to the open. There was a slight commotion as he disappeared into the grass. Navi zipped down, dosing her glow as she hid in his hair. The ten year old could hear the horse as if they were behind him. It drove him out of the grass and into the canyon deep. He ran up the narrow bridge. An arrow flew just over his head. He sighed, dodging the next one. He eyed the broken bridge as he came to a stop. He had dropped the bread when they first spotted him.

He growled as the riders semi-circled him. These were young men who seemed to enjoy chasing and possible injuring others. He backed up onto the broken bridge slowly. The men snicker and talked in a foreign language. Link eyed them warily.

"So our little thief has nowhere to run." The leader taunted.

Link, growling, just stared back. Navi muttered reassurances to him. An bow twanged, forcing Link back a step.

"So it is a girl or a boy?" The leader asked his group. "Or does it matter?"

Another twang and an arrow caught Link in the shoulder. He teetered on the edge for a second before he fell. Link watched the quickly raising water with twisted amusement. He was going to die for a bit of bread. The last thought was what was going to happen to Navi when he died.

* * *

Ganondorf wasn't having the best of days. His grandmother was nagging him again. Sometimes he wished that the old hag would die and leave him in peace, but he loved the old battle-axe just the same and would have missed her. He had gotten harassed by the she-demon and her crew. Din, if they didn't let up soon, he was thinking he may just try taking over the world so he could eliminate Nabooru and her friends. Hopefully the fishing would be good.

He entered the small beach near the waterfall. The Guerdos forgot to clear the bushes so they could use the beach on one side but it suited Ganondorf's purpose perfectly. He didn't expect to hear people laughing on top of the ravine. They were laughing and yelling down the ravine, telling someone if they survived the fall, then they better never show their face on the Hyrule field again. They soon left.

Ganondorf frowned. Some unfortunate soul must have crossed paths with the Termas. Termas were in general nasty nomadic people who prefer to harass beggars, thieves, and ilk. He spotted a small bundle of rags floating by and yanked it out of the river. The fourteen year old was more than surprised to be holding a little kid who looked barely old enough to do thieving. Suddenly a light ball with wings buzzed out of the kid's hair and coughed water.

The fairy, which Ganondorf realized what it was, was ringing its little heart out. He knew the fairy was begging him to save the kid's life. He sighed as he laid the kid down on the ground. The kid was breathing though barely. Ganondorf looked at the arrow shaft buried in the kid's shoulder. The kid's legs were at odd angles. Looking to see what may have broken them, he spotted a cluster of boulders. Yep, that would break them. He steeled himself for the scream that would come when he reset the legs. None came, only a whimper. Ganondorf found branches straight enough to bound the kid's legs until he could get someone to look at them. He undid his arm bandages.

He thought about why he was doing it and decided it was mainly he was lonely. Most males that came to the Guerdos died by their stupidity or left shortly after being used. He picked up the little kid gently and strolled up the stairs to the fortress. The fairy followed after.

It took a lot of convincing to get his grandmother to look at the boy. As she treated him, she'd often purse her lips. Finally she ushered him out, leaving the boy with the fairy. She indicated for him to sit down.

"That one should have died long ago." Was the very first thing out of her mouth.

"What?" He said, nearly dropping the mug of tea.

"The child has some willpower. I've never seen a child of ten summers as small as this one. He's also marked, that one. The royal family has condemned him to prison if they catch him. Odd for some child who should have barely be able to walk out of the village he was exiled from. Not enough food for the little one. From the forest village. Only they would have fairies like this one. Why mistreat one of their own?"

He waited until she finished speaking. "Will he live?"

"Yes, and he will stay here. His legs and arm will keep him here for many moons. I will talk to Karria about the boy. He is no threat and he can learn from us. I believe the Goddesses lead him here. Watch boy until I return."

He smiled at the old woman's back. Her speech may be distorted but that was because she was a Guerdo from a nearby land where that clan had been destroyed. He sighed as he reopened the door and began watching the fairy speaking in those strange musical notes of hers to the boy.

* * *

Link was surprised to be alive when he woke up. He felt strangely hot. He ignored it in favor of looking around. He was in some sort of room and moonlight poured in from small windows high up in the walls. Navi was sleeping on a blanket set near the raised platform. Link looked at the raised platform under him. It was soft and comfortable, much better than the ground unless it was cover in moss. His arm ached dully as did his legs. Pain flared up as he tried moving his legs. He mentally whimpered. The scent of herbs, water, and dirt mingled with that of people.

There was suddenly someone at the doorway. The tall old woman looked down at Link, causing him to look away. Looking at people only get you beaten. Navi was up suddenly.

"Link! I was so worried." The fairy said, ignoring the woman. "You fell so far and when you hit those rocks."

Link did his best with his good arm to cradle the sobbing fairy to him, knowing it made Navi feel better. The old woman chuckled softly.

"Little fairy, your friend is in good hands now and he will get better. Don't worry."

Link shied away from her hand, causing his legs to violently protest the movement. The woman clucked sympathetically and placed her worn hand on his forehead.

"Your fever's getting worst. You need to lay down, boy."

He obeyed without complaint. He knew an order was to be obeyed unless you want to be badly hurt for not doing so.

* * *

Ganondorf was haunted by dreams again. They picked up since the blonde kid was staying in the next room. Well, Grandmother insisted they dye his hair red to hide the face he was a Hyrulain. In the dreams, he admired the boy, hated him, but most of all he pitied the boy, no the man who fought single-handedly against him. Ganondorf had been a proud king, cruel and arrogant, and the blonde person was some sort of champion for a slip of a woman who was the princess. There had been someone who looked almost like the princess except he was male. Strange, so strange.

_This dream was when he came across a bloodied corpse, not his dream self's doing, but someone else's. It was the boy, Sheik. The son of Impa. Granted he wanted to kill the boy for interfering in a number of his plans, but this was different. The boy's face was twisted in surprise as if his killer had been someone he trusted. Did the princess do this? His dream self discarded the notion. The princess wouldn't kill the son of the woman who raised her._

_Yet doubt ate him from the inside during the rest of the dream. He was watching the Hero of Time wearily stumble towards his fortress. Sheik intercepted him. No, Ganondorf realized it was the princess. Soon he found himself in battle with the man. His mind filled with doubts and questions. He pushed it aside as the building fell about his ears. His mind couldn't wrap itself around the thought of the truth, so his mind snapped. He called upon a power he never wanted to use. Pain filled his being. He had no choice. He would have to kill the princess._

Ganondorf woke up, sweating. The Hero of Time defeated him. Ganondorf remembered the hollow look in the man's eyes. It was of someone who lost everything and finally broke. The boy covered it up at the very last second with false rage. Ganondorf entered the other room. He sat on the stool, watching the kid breathe. Ganondorf shuddered, pulling the blanket to him. The man in his dream was what the kid would become. A hollow vessel for the princess's doing. And he became a power-hungry monster. He didn't want that.

Ganondorf looked at the fairy, her name being Navi he mused. She clung to 'Link's' hair even in her sleep as if she was afraid he'd vanish. Maybe he could. Ganondorf mused sometimes it seemed that Link was transparent. He found himself vowing to prevent the event from happening. But he was still clueless why he went down the path of darkness the first time.

He managed the courage to sit down on the edge of the bed. Nothing happened for the first few seconds. Then Link's hand suddenly brushed against his fingers. Ganondorf looked down. Link's hands were tiny compared to his hand and fragile-looking.

Ganondorf felt a bubble of protectiveness rise up. He pushed it aside when he realized Navi was looking at him.

"You remember?" She whispered as she floated to his shoulder.

"Some." Ganondorf watched as Link twitched somewhat.

"What will you do?" The fairy asked, worried for her young companion.

"Be there for him." He said. "He doesn't have anyone else besides you."

"Why?" She hissed.

"I don't wanted to see him like I did at the last battle, just before he killed me."

"How bad was he?" Navi asked.

"There was nothing left." Ganondorf said as he retucked Link's blankets.

"He went looking for me I heard."

"Then you were the only thing left to him." Ganon said. "You're probably the only reason he lived afterwards."

Both fairy and villain-that-was merely watched. When morning came, Ganon's grandmother looked in and gave a quiet smile. Ganondorf was there asleep. He laid the length of the bed with Link in a protective half-embrace and the fairy sleeping on his shoulder.

The old woman smiled as she moved towards the kitchen. She knew that the little half-Hyrulian would do Ganondorf good. It would keep Ganondorf out of trouble and enforce responsibilities. She clucked her tongue at the fact her daughter refused to have another child after Ganondorf. The boy was lonely and most Guerdos has at least two children to ensure balance.

Her duaghter eagerly agree to act as she did have a second child. It would explain the few years to other Guerdo why she disappeared so long ago for two years. Lana also suspected she did know who the half-Hyrulain's parent were. The odd look on her face said so when she saw the boy. She had insisted on calling him Lin. This was something she would pry out of her daughter later.

The brat Nabooru came in with her normal lackeys. She came over casually. Lana scowled at the next Queen. She was nothing but trouble.

"Honorable Elder, where is Ganondorf?"

"Ill. No one is to visit him." Lana said curtly.

The girl pouted and turned away. Lana gathered the food and began back. She knew the brat was following her. She saw Ganondorf in the distance with what looked to be the boy sitting in his arms. She sighed. The fates must have been against her or something.

Two months later found Link climbing up the rock walls to avoid Nabooru's girls. Grandmother Lana had been quite amazed at his quick healing but she still warned him to take it easy. And Nabooru and her girls made it difficult to do so.

Nabooru viewed Link as an extremely cute thing as did her friends. He made a point of avoiding them whenever he wasn't with Grandmother or Ganondorf. He dislike being treated like an object and made plain through the noises he made. Relearning how to speak was a long and ardorous process for Link.

"Come down, Lin! We just want to talk to you." One of the more ditzy Guerdos called up to him.

"I can't believe he can scale almost completely smooth walls like that." Nabooru commented dryly as she looked for something in her gathering pouch.

Link kept an eye on the canyon wall for any Skull spiders who may be lurking near the top. He was close to the top and the best herbs for Grandmother Lana. He heard Nabooru's exclamation but ignored it. He felt something rustle his hair. Smoke caused him to cough and close his eyes. He felt himself slip and fall. Someone caught him in midair. Blinking away the fog, he found himself staring into a set of red eyes.

His rescuer set him on his feet. The woman with white hair turned to Nabooru. Link tugged his currently dyed hair braid nervously. She scolded Nabooru for her recklessness before turning to Link.

"So who is this boy? I thought there was only one male Guerdo born every one hundred years." The woman looked Link over.

"This is Lin, Madam Impa." Nabooru said nervously. "He's Ganondorf's little brother."

"I see." Impa said, bending to his eye level. "Do you speak?"

"Y-yes." Link stuttered, a bit unhinged at the fact she was at his eye level.

"He doesn't speak well, Madam Impa." Another girl chirped. "He's a bit touched in the head."

"Well now. Can you take me to your mother?" She asked Link.

Link considered. His 'mother' would probably with 'father' which meant they'd both be at the training grounds. He nodded before backing away a bit. He glanced around where he sensed the other people with the proud lady would be. The woman chuckled as she watched him.

"Shad-oh." He said, looking back. "All in shad-oh. No take."

She chuckled briefly as Nabooru and her group stared opened mouth at Link's disrespectful behavior.

"Come out. It seems it would do no good to hide from this little one." Her voice echoed in the canyon.

Link watched as the girls jumped when people appeared around them. Link looked around, quickly studying the group before him. A boy larger than him stood next to Lady Impa.

"Now take. No ticks." Link said, sighing mentally at his horrible Hyrulian. "Naboo. Go to 'lders."

She nodded dumbly before her group left ahead of them. Link knew he might have to pay for ordering Nabooru around later, but he didn't want the other Guerdos to be completely surprised when he lead the strangers in. He purposely took his time about getting there, occasionally stopping to collect various herbs.

"Take us there, you Guerdo brat." One of the shadow folk yelled at him, finally losing his temper.

Link, quite used to being yelled at by Mido and the other Kokiro when he lived with them, didn't even flinch. "Taking there."

He causally pointed ahead. "There find 'vereone."

Within a minute, Link leaded them out of the canyon onto the training field. Most of the Guerdos were there. They were all wary. Link made his way over to Grandmother Lana who picked him up into a hug. His foster mother and father walked up to Impa. Ganondorf was glaring at Nabooru from behind Grandmother.

Link couldn't hear what was being said because Grandmother insisted he was to take a nap because it looked like he overexerted himself. He yawned. A nap sounded like a good idea.

* * *

_Author's Corner_

Hello, I'm back it seems….but It'll take a while to get back into my grove….So here's chapter 1 of CBU Tome 1!


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